Possible Prolapse & Eye Irritation :/

[lauriexcurtis]

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon, male, about 4 months. I've been caring for him since mid-August and I think he was 1-2 months at the time.
Handling - I handle him everyday or every other day. He doesn't seem to mind at all.
Feeding - I had been feeding him about 12 small crickets a day. Now I feed him 2 crix at 11 am, 2 crix at 3 pm, 2 crix at 7 pm, and 2 crix at 11 pm. The crix are fed Fluker's orange cubes and Fluker's cricket quencher. I also have started occasionally giving him a superworm or some small mealworms, and I recently got him a golden pothos plant from which he eats regularly.
Supplements - I dust the crickets with Reptocal and Fluker's calcium w/D3 three times a week.
Watering - I only use distilled water when misting his cage about three-four times a day. I also use a homemade drip system with ice cubes placed on top of his enclosure with a drip dish below. Tesla is so well behaved that now he actually drinks from my spray bottle when it's set on "stream". So I definitely know he's drinking.
Fecal Description - His urates are always pretty white. His feces are a solid dark brown color. We went to the vet three days ago and although he didn't have any fresh feces to test for parasites, she gave him a dewormer just in case because I had noticed some form of very recent mild prolapse only when he defecates.
History - I purchased him at Petsmart. They didn't have any screen terrariums so I temporarily had him a small ExoTerra glass terrarium with only fake plants. Now he is in a new enclosure with more foliage.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Screen cage 2'x2'x4'
Lighting - I still use the 5.0 UVB tube light that came with the previous ExoTerra cage and I also now use the ReptiSun 5.0 compact light.
Temperature - It was much easier to establish temperature ranges in his previous terrarium because it was not very affected by the room temperature of about 72 degrees. I believe the peak temp of his new cage gets to about 83 degrees and the lowest point is around 72 degrees. I keep his lights on from 11 am to 12 am (13 hours).
Humidity - I have a hygrometer to measure the levels. I have one live plant and mist the cage regularly and use a type of drip system to maintain humidity. However, it has been much more difficult in maintaining humidity since his new cage is completely screened. I'm considering getting some form of solid to place on one or two sides of the cage to trap more humidity.
Plants - Only one so far, golden pothos. I plan to get him two more larger plants also.
Placement - It is located in my bedroom on a desk. The highest point is about 6 1/2 feet from the ground.
Location - Southeast Texas

Current Problem - There are several problems I've been noticing lately. Around the same time that I bought his new cage, his pothos plant, and new light I've noticed mild eye irritation. He keeps them open during the day but it looks like they might be itching him. Last night when I got back from work, Tesla's eyes were much more wrinkly than usual and even had small swelling around them. But when I woke up today the swelling and wrinkles were gone. (We're going to the herp vet today regardless.) Should I consider removing the pothos?

Also three days ago I noticed it looks like he has either a small hemipenis or rectal prolapse only when he defecates. We went to the vet for this and she gave him a deworming fluid in case he had parasites. It really is not a horrible case of prolapse (if that's what it is) and I have no pictures because it lasts only about 15 seconds.

If anyone could give me some feedback on either situation, I'd greatly appreciate it. Also any tips on creating more heat/moisture would be helpful. So far he's still a great looking guy with vibrant green colors and normal movements.

 

[carol5208]

Ok, A few things we need to fix here! Do not feed late at night! You are turning your lights on and off way too late! you are feeding him, then turning his light out an hour later! He needs time to bask and digest his food. So start turning your light on around 7 or 8 and off around 7 or maybe a little earlier since it is getting dark out earlier now. You do not need two 5.0's! Only one! Keep the Reptisun tube and ditch the compact, pronto. You need to gutload your crickets with fresh fruits an vegiies. Much more healthy than fluker's! You need three supplements to dust your feeders. You are using too much d3! You need Calcium w/0 d3 twice a month, mulitivitamin, twice a month, and calcium without d3 at every feeding! The 5.0 compact could very well be irritating his eyes. So get rid of that and see what happens with his eyes. You do not have a basking light?! Get a 40-60 watt housebulb and screw it into one of those domes. He needs heat!

 

[carol5208]

Also, get yourself a dripper that can run for a good part of the day. The ice cubes are cold and run out faster than a dripper. As far as the proplapse, as long as it went back in, you are ok. It is just when it comes out and won't go back in! If it ever happens again, and stays out you have to make sure it does not dry out and get him to a vet asap. You can use some KY jelly and put it on there.

 

[lauriexcurtis]

Ok, A few things we need to fix here! Do not feed late at night! You are turning your lights on and off way too late! you are feeding him, then turning his light out an hour later! He needs time to bask and digest his food. So start turning your light on around 7 or 8 and off around 7 or maybe a little earlier since it is getting dark out earlier now. You do not need two 5.0's! Only one! Keep the Reptisun tube and ditch the compact, pronto. You need to gutload your crickets with fresh fruits an vegiies. Much more healthy than fluker's! You need three supplements to dust your feeders. You are using too much d3! You need Calcium w/0 d3 twice a month, mulitivitamin, twice a month, and calcium without d3 at every feeding!

Okay thanks. I figured it didn't matter what time of day the lights were on/off as long as they were on 12-14 hrs a day. And 11 am happens to be right around the time that I wake up (I go to college & have afternoon classes.)

Eh yeah the only reason I got the compact was because it's the ReptiSun. The tube light is ReptiGlo, not ReptiSun.

Thanks for the precise supplement info. I've kind of just been reading general statements on those.

 

[carol5208]

Okay thanks. I figured it didn't matter what time of day the lights were on/off as long as they were on 12-14 hrs a day. And 11 am happens to be right around the time that I wake up (I go to college & have afternoon classes.)

Eh yeah the only reason I got the compact was because it's the ReptiSun. The tube light is ReptiGlo, not ReptiSun.

Thanks for the precise supplement info. I've kind of just been reading general statements on those.

We all mostly use the Reptisun and have had great luck with it! The compact light have been known to cause eye issues. Some members have used them with no side effects, but others not so the tube lights are the way to go! 12 hours is about the max for the lights. 14 is not needed. They need to go to sleep! Also, you don't use a light at night, do you? They like it dark for sleeping! You should get yourself a light timer. They are a godsend. So do you have a basking light then or just the UVB?

 

[lauriexcurtis]

We all mostly use the Reptisun and have had great luck with it! The compact light have been known to cause eye issues. Some members have used them with no side effects, but others not so the tube lights are the way to go! 12 hours is about the max for the lights. 14 is not needed. They need to go to sleep! Also, you don't use a light at night, do you? They like it dark for sleeping! You should get yourself a light timer. They are a godsend. So do you have a basking light then or just the UVB?

Ah okay I'll switch that one out for a ReptiSun 5.0 tube light. I used to only leave the lights on for twelve hours but I noticed he doesn't sleep for twelve hours. He always wakes up after about 10 1/2 - 11 hours of sleep.

Nope, I don't use any lights at night. Ugh I guess I had been confused on the differences between a UVB light and a basking light. Is a basking light just a regular bulb with no UV output?

 

[carol5208]

yes, no uvb

 

[lauriexcurtis]

yes, no uvb

Okay. Then I currently don't have a plain basking lamp. I'll get him one today. Is 50-75 watts sufficient?

 

[carol5208]

He is still young, so I would only use like 40 watt or so. So you mean he has had not heat to bask since you have had him? Oh my gosh. Make sure you have it so he cannot get too close to the screen and burn himself. Especially when they get older and their Caseques get tall! So put a branch down about 6 inches or so below the light and then you need to check the temp underneath. You want it around 80-82 degrees so play around with the branch til you meet that temp.

 

[lauriexcurtis]

He is still young, so I would only use like 40 watt or so. So you mean he has had not heat to bask since you have had him? Oh my gosh. Make sure you have it so he cannot get too close to the screen and burn himself. Especially when they get older and their Caseques get tall! So put a branch down about 6 inches or so below the light and then you need to check the temp underneath. You want it around 80-82 degrees so play around with the branch til you meet that temp.

Okay. Actually he did have a basking lamp now that I think about it, but the shade broke causing the light to break so I bought him a new one (too bad the new one is a UVB light.)

Gah I though I had been doing the right things but now I'm going to start making some changes. Thanks for your help

 

[kinyonga]

You can use a regular incandescent household light bulb in a domed hood as a basking light. I don't use a basking light on baby veileds at all...I use a double fluorescent hood with one Repti-sun 5.0 UVB tube light in it and a regular white fluorescent tube in the other side. As long as the temperature is in the low 80's in a good part of the cage that should be fine.